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94 thoughts on “Playing The Album In Full”

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is Pink Floyds Dark Side of the Moon because of the continuity between songs. The album begins with a heartbeat and ends with a heartbeat and in middle deals with themes of greed, love and death. Dark Side and a pair of good headphones is just 45 minutes of pure musical bliss, truly an album designed to be listened to start to finish.

Hard to beat DSOTM but the one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is Abbey Road, because it was recorded to listened through uninterupted…and it’s The Beatles swansong

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is The Propellerheads: Decksandrumsandrockandroll because it’s an amazing mashup of hip-hop, big-beat and jazz! It has to be one of my favourite driving albums also for cruising around the village in the evening, slow groove beats pumping up Main St. with the windows/trousers down.

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is A Grand Don’t Come for Free by The Streets because it is a story and you really want to know what happens in the end. It manages to get mad ones, heartbreak, positivity, negativity and humour across in such a realistic way and is a lovely slice of the era when it was released!

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is Evening Train by Mick Flanney because from what I understand (Wikipedia said so okay!) it was originally envisaged as a musical and tells the story of brothers through incredibly lyrically powerful songs. Actually I saw talk recently that someone was working to turn it into a musical now. Either way it’s a cracking album in the storytelling genre.

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is Yankee Hotel Foxtrot by Wilco. It is simply one of the great American albums of the 21st centure, and of the last 25 or so years.

Bookended by the sublime and epic 7 minute songs “I am trying to break your heat” and “Reservations” it zips through styles, folk, rolk, jazz, blues, lo-fi noise, punk and more throughout its 50 minutes. Much of it is blink and you’ll miss it. It is graced by much of Jeff Tweedy’s best lyrics too, at a time when he and some of the band were at their lowest personal moments and it got endlessly delayed in record company purgatory destined to not be released.

It is an essential album, in the way Cormac McCarthy’s border trilogy are essential reading. Dark, moody, captivating; full of joy, followed by despair and crushing heartbreak. Listen to it, cherish it.

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is Tango Mango by Can because Damo Suzuki is one the most underrated vocalists of all time,its also arguably the most influential album ever recorded.

“The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption, is Kick, by INXS, because for me it encapsulates the quirky mood and devil-may-care spirit of the late ’80’s. The drink was flowing and everything was fresh and new to me, a naïve and innocent teenybopper”.

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is London Calling by The Clash. It’s the sound of a band at the top of their game, throwing off the shackles of Punk and joyously experimenting with new sounds and styles.

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirity without interruption is Doolittle by PIXIES. For me…this band, and particularly this album, defined my adolescents. Many have tried to emulate ‘loud, quiet, loud’ , however I have always said about those pretenders…’sounds quite Pixieish!’. Their influence has been incredible and far reaching with Bowie, U2, Kings of Leon, PJ Harvey and Kurt Cobain all claiming to have been big fans. The first time I listened to the wailing, demonic screams of Black Francis on Tame or Dead…I honestly didnt know if this was music or not… I was hooked! I recorded the album, which my friends brother owned, onto a tape…and played the tape until it broke. I then went out and bought the album…again on tape! Then I got to see them play it all live the following year…in the National Stadium. To this day it was the best gig I ever went to.

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is Leftfield’s Leftism. Completely unsurpassed in the 21 years since its release, it defined rave culture and encapsulated the genre in a blistering 70 mins that still sounds as fresh today as the day it was released.

There’s an awful lot to mention here but the one album that cannot be interrupted and has the added bonus of clearing out my house of irritants when I input it on is Jeff Wayne’s War of the Worlds. Bonkers and compelling all at the same time. I have it on 180g vinyl and SACD but I do love it on my turntable.

I’ll also throw a mention out to Peter Gabriel’s SO. From start to finish, it’s a fantastic listen. I have it on the 180g 45rpm double album remaster and it’s spectacular. Was also Daniel Lanois biggest selling album as a producer.

Tommy, by The Who. From the overture, through murder, sexual abuse, physical abuse, and drug abuse. Into the underture, then through pinball playing, psychological therapy, cure and awakening. Finishing with freedom and self awareness. It is wonderful from start to finish.

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is Blood And Chocolate by Elvis Costello because it reminds me of some wild raucous lost nights of a mispent youth. The song I Want You reminds me of my mate Bernie as she’s a dead ringer for the dark haired girl in the video. Bernie gave me the heads up re Broadsheet, she’s a big fan but is on a temporary ban or something ATM. Anyhoo “Bernie” stop acting the goat and enjoy the song.

Spirit of Eden by Talk Talk. The sound of God resting on the seventh day just before the omnishambles goes and ruins His good work. So day seven’s soundtrack around twenty past eleven. From the horn that opens The Rainbow to the shozyg that closes Wealth, it’s a perfect musical blueprint for an emotional rollercoaster. Worth the price of a long playing ticket.

‘The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is Oxygène
by Jean-Michel Jarre (1976) because each track builds upon the previous until it delivers a whole that is truly organic. The production and running oder is as crafted as the compositions and the playing’

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety because of its brilliant rhythms, some of Tim Burgess’s best vocals, and superb rock anthems that’d put a head noddin’ smile on anyone… I just love it :)

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is Miles Davis In a Silent Way because it teases and withholds beautifully and the pay-off at 31 minutes is orgasmic. Thanks, Tony Williams.

For me the clincher has to be screamadelica, (cue niallo droning on for an hour about feile back int’day)
It perfectly captures the spirit, the sounds …and the smells, of the last great blooming of the 20th century phenomenon known as rock and roll.
The only thing missing from it is the title track which appears on the dixie narco ep, which is also awesome.
honorable mention might be doves lost souls.

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is “I’m not bossy I’m the boss” by Sinéad O’Connor because it’s an emotional rollercoaster flying through loved up, rejected, longing, betrayal and plain old horny as fk all with a voice that should be stored in the National History museum with the rest of Ireland’s treasures.

Thin lizzy’s live and dangerous. It’s summer holidays from school in 17 songs; from the screaming liberation of jailbreak in may to your maturation in august into a full blown rocker. no other album takes you on such a journey. It also has the most amazing version of still in love with you.

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption is “HEROES” by David Bowie. A complete work in its own right of differing styles and innovation that in the end makes you ponder that old saying that “One Size Does Not Fit All”. Yet, Bowie and crew craft each song as individual bodies of work to weave seamlessly from start to finish into something that is singularly unique and great. Wünderbar.

The one album that needs to be listened to in its entirety without interruption has to be “The Yes Album” by Yes because it’s instantly singable yet still somehow deeper when listened to entirely and a progrock rite of passage.

(It’s also in the book “1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die”, so must be worth it)

I gotta go with Batman by Prince. not that it was his best album, but it was and probably still is the only movie soundtrack made by a single artist & one used very well in the movie itself. . ” stop the press who’s that, Vicki Vale..”

Just to throw something completely different into the mix; and possibly confuse many younger listeners:
“Planxty”; i.e. the original eponymous black album from about 1973.

It’s difficult to overstate this album’s influence and importance. It set Irish traditional music on a new and expanded footing. Its four founding members; Donal Lunny, Andy Irvine, Christy Moore and the recently deceased Liam O’Flynn each remain(ed) at the top of their game, and with varying styles, throughout their musical careers.
Listened through in one sitting now, it’s like a history lesson in the evolution of contemporary Irish trad.

Possibly not a serious contender here – but deserves a mention all the same.

I am not complaining, mind. There are some great albums mentioned here, some I knew and some I did not. So I am compiling my list of songs and artists to be listened to, both the older (shout out to @Paulus for mentioning Planxty :) ) and the newer from bands I had not heard of yet.

If I was a betting man, I would say you are spoiled for choice here, and too many of the above are worthy contenders!

And in that mood, how about SuperTrouper by Abba? You know, what with the release of Mamma Mia 2 :)